Report: Abortion Onscreen in 2019 Abortion Onscreen Report: 2019 In a year defined by an unprecedented hostile policy environment to abortion, Hollywood is depicting abortion onscreen more often and in increasingly complex ways. In 2019, we documented forty-three abortion discussions and disclosures on television, more than we’ve ever observed in a single year. Hollywood is clearly paying attention to the policy landscape: many plotlines discussed abortion restrictions, featuring characters actively harmed by them (Chicago Med, Law & Order: SVU, New Amsterdam, The Blacklist), while others portrayed characters victimized by predatory Crisis Pregnancy Centers (The Bold Type, Happy!, 13 Reasons Why). Unlike in 2018, a majority (65%) of this year’s characters who obtained abortions were white. This is a notable misrepresentation given that the majority of real people who have abortions are people of color. When a character of color was featured in an abortion plotline, however, they almost always had or disclosed an abortion. White characters are given more opportunities to engage with abortion as a political issue, a topic of conversation, and as healthcare. Despite the continued trend of underrepresentation of characters of color, we found more characters of color considering or obtaining abortions (13) this year than the last three years combined, including some significant firsts: • The Bold Type portrayed the first conversation about past abortions among two young, queer Black women. This is particularly relevant given the lack of onscreen representation of queer women who obtain abortions. • Three plotines depicted anti-abortion Black characters (Empire, New Amsterdam, Bull), two of whom attempt to dissuade others from obtaining abortions. Plotlines often do not specifically discuss abortion in the context of race, and all three of these episodes make distinctions about a characters’ Blackness as it relates to abortion. • Orange is the New Black portrayed the compounding barriers an undocumented, incarcerated Guatemalan immigrant must overcome to obtain an abortion. • Made in Heaven featured the first South Asian woman to disclose a past abortion. Other important trends include increasing depictions of attempted but ineffective self- managed abortions. On Proven Innocent and Chicago Med, the characters ordered abortion pills online, though neither had a complete abortion. Orange is the New Black and Grey’s Anatomy portrayed characters attempting to self-induce an abortion with herbs, with both characters ultimately obtaining abortion pills. Television plotlines have yet to depict a character safely and effectively self-managing an abortion with pills ordered online. As in prior years, we continue to see more comedies feature abortion plotlines. This year we documented not just abortion jokes (Silicon Valley, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) but also abortion procedures themselves featured in comedies like Sex Education, Workin’ Moms, Shrill, The Letdown, and VEEP. Six out of twenty five characters obtaining abortions or disclosing past abortions were parents. This is more than we’ve seen in previous years’ depictions, yet remains staggeringly low given that the majority of people who obtain abortions are raising children. Only one mother was a woman of color. Despite the increase in the acknowledgment of the way anti-abortion laws obstruct abortion access, this year’s portrayals still provide an incomplete picture of the safety of abortion, particularly self-managed abortion, and who obtains the majority of abortions in the United States: women of color who are raising children and struggling to make ends meet. 2 Outlander Episode: The Deep Heart’s Core Network: Starz Airdate: 1/6/2019 On this historical time travel show, Brianna considers having an abortion after a pregnancy that resulted from sexual assault. She ultimately decides to carry the pregnancy to term, thinking that the father of the pregnancy might be her boyfriend and not the rapist. Sex Education Episode: Two Network: Netflix Airdate: 1/11/2019 Maeve has an abortion with the support of her friend Otis, who brings her flowers post-procedure. Maeve has a surgical abortion, shown onscreen in an aseptic hospital-like environment. While this episode depicts thoughtful ways to support someone before and after an abortion, portraying the abortion itself in what looks like an ambulatory surgical center may contribute to unfounded myths about what kinds of facilities can perform abortions. Shameless Episode: BOOOOOOOOOOOONE! Network: Showtime Airdate: 1/28/2019 Ingrid and Frank visit a fertility specialist to see if their treatment resulted in a pregnancy, and discover that all six embryos successfully implanted in Ingrid’s uterus. Ingrid is overjoyed at the possibility of multiples, but both Frank and the clinician encourage her to have a selective reduction to, at most, three embryos. Ingrid initially agrees, and later, changes her mind, worried that this will be her last chance to become a parent. Later in the season, she breaks up with Frank, and, worried that he won’t be able to provide for their children, agrees to have a reduction. 3 Victoria Episode: Foreign Bodies Network: PBS Airdate: 2/3/2019 Skerrett, Victoria’s maid, is pregnant and visits an apothecary. They ask if she’s there because she wants to be pregnant or because she does not want to be pregnant. In an episode focused on the tragedy of the cholera epidemic, it’s significant that Skerrett is presented with some amount of control over her health. Workin’ Moms Episode: Bare, Bye Bye Kate, Merde Network: Netflix Airdate: 2/22/2019 No-nonsense psychiatrist Anne discovers she’s pregnant, and compiles a pro and con list about the pregnancy with her husband Lionel. The majority of real-life people who obtain abortions are already parenting, and this episode depicts a familiar scene to many: parents taking stock of whether they have the resources -- emotional, physical, financial -- to care for another child. Ultimately, Ann obtains an abortion with the support of Lionel and her friends. Proven Innocent Episode: The Shame Game Network: Fox Airdate: 3/8/2019 This episode follows Sarah, a Muslim woman charged with feticide and murder for purchasing mifepristone online, having a stillbirth, and leaving the fetal remains at a construction site. In reality, states are prosecuting real people for buying abortion pills online, for attempted abortion self-management, and for stillbirths. This episode paints a confusing picture of what the legal risks and realities are for any of these actions. 4 Made in Heaven Episode: All That Glitters is Gold Network: Amazon Prime Airdate: 3/8/2019 This show follows Tara and Karan, two wedding planners who book the wedding of the Roshans, a prominent Punjabi family in Delhi. The groom’s parents uncover that the bride, Aliya, has had an abortion, yet what upsets them is not the abortion but the news that she is not a virgin. Angad, the groom, lies to his parents, saying he was the father of the pregnancy, and when he shares this with Aliya, she is furious at this betrayal of trust. This depiction is unique in depicting a South Asian woman’s abortion disclosure, the first we’ve seen on TV. The Good Fight Episode: The One About the Recent Troubles, The One Inspired by Roy Cohn Network: CBS Airdate: 3/14/2019 and 3/28/2019 In her quest to do anything to resist President Donald Trump, lawyer Diane Lockhart uncovers a secret: he had a relationship with a sex worker, Tara, and paid for her abortion. Tara pleads with Diane not to disclose the abortion to anyone, but Diane leaks it to the media, later lying to Tara saying that she didn’t do it. This classic ripped-from-the-headlines plotline showcases that Diane will do anything, even compromise her own values and later, her marriage, to resist the President. Shrill Episode: Annie Network: Hulu Airdate: 3/15/2019 In this comedy based on Lindy West’s memoir of the same name, young journalist Annie becomes pregnant after Plan B fails, later learning that the morning after pill is not as effective for overweight women. Annie’s roommate Fran supports her in having a surgical abortion, holding her hand during the procedure. Annie’s abortion is a pivotal moment in her personal and professional life — she comments that it’s one of the first times she’s made a decision just for herself, and she feels powerful. Notably, this is one of the few TV shows to depict an abortion onscreen in the first episode. 5 Grey’s Anatomy Episode: Silent All These Years Network: ABC Airdate: 3/28/2019 Adoptee Dr. Jo Karev finally meets her birth mother, Vicki, and confronts her about the circumstances surrounding her birth and adoption, learning that Vicki was raped. Vicki details the extensive abuse she experienced from Jo’s father, and Jo reciprocates, sharing that her ex-husband beat her and cracked her ribs, and when she found out she was pregnant, she had an abortion. This is one of many Grey’s Anatomy episodes to showcase the connections between abortion, adoption, and parenting. Hannah Episode: City Network: Amazon Prime Airdate: 3/28/2019 In this thriller set in Romania, a flashback reveals that Hanna’s mother, Johanna, considered having an abortion, but didn’t after having a conversation with an agent lurking outside the clinic to convince mothers to sign over their babies to the CIA. This scene underscores the depths to which the operatives go to abduct infants for scientific testing and military training. VEEP Episode: Iowa, Discovery Weekend, Pledge Network: HBO Airdate: 3/31/2019, 4/7/2019, 4/14/19 Before discovering that she’s still pregnant, Amy Brookheimer’s colleague (and father of the pregnancy) Dan jokes that she should publicly Venmo him for the abortion so people know he’s a gentleman.